Detachably mountable article support



Feb. 15, 1966 J. E. GREEN 3,235,219

DETACHABLY MOUNTABLE ARTICLE SUPPORT Original Filed Oct. 30, 1963 Jo toEdward Green,

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' Inventor United States Patent 3 235,219 DETACHABLY MOUDlTABLE ARTICLESUPPORT John Edward Green, Warsop, England, assignor to United-CarrIncorporated, a corporation of Delaware Continuation of abandonedapplication Ser. No. 320,165, Oct. 30, 1963. This application Jan. 15,1965, Ser. No. 425,717 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Nov.7, 1962, 42,118/62 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-239) This application is acontinuation of the pending application U.S. Serial No. 320,165 filedOctober 60, 1963, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a device adapted to be detachably mounted inan apertured support for securing or supporting an article thereto.

The present invention provides a device formed of resilient syntheticplastics adapted to be detachably mounted in an aperture in a support tosecure or support an article, the device comprising a base having aresilient stud projecting from one face for engagement in the aperturein the support, and means extending from the opposite face of the basefor engagement by an article to be secured or supported, the studincluding a neck portion adjacent the base defined by a shoulder formedwith a cam shaped surface facing the base, the device being securable tothe support by inserting the stud into the aperture with the baseengaging one face of the support and the stud projecting from theopposite face and rotating the device to cause the cam shaped surface toride over portions of the said opposite face of the support adjacent theaperture to draw the base into clamping engagement with the firstmentioned face.

The invention also includes an assembly comprising a cabinet havingopposed walls formed with apertures, in each of which a device asdefined in the preceding paragraphs is assembled with the channel shapedmembers facing inwardly of the cabinet, and a shelf supported by thedevices by means of rod-like elements projecting from opposite ends ofthe shelf and nesting in the channel shaped members of the respectivedevices.

According to one arrangement, the device is adapted to serve as a shelfsupport in a cabinet, for example, that of a domestic refrigerator, andin this case the said means on the base is adapted to receive andsupport a rod-like element of a shelf.

To enable the invention to be fully understood, it will now bedescribed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawingin which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a device according to one embodiment of theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view;

FIGURE 3 is an end view;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view illustrating the stud attached to apanel; and

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG- URE 2.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the device is adapted toserve as a shelf support and is formed of synthetic plastics materialcomprising a base 1, having a channel shaped member 2 extending from oneface to form a support for a rod-like element of a shelf which isinsertable into the projection through the upper open end. The oppositeface of the base has an integral stud-like member 3 of oval orelliptical shape in cross section, a portion of the stud at opposedsides being recessed to provide a neck 5 and shoulders 4 spaced from thebase. As shown more particularly in FIGURES 1 and 2, the face of theshoulder 4 has a cam-like form and, for example, is of part helicalconfiguration.

The device is adapted to be assembled with wall panel 3,235,219 PatentedFeb. 15, 1966 such as a. of a cabinet having a rectangular shapedaperture b which includes opposed side edges c, d defining the width ofthe aperture which are spaced apart a distance slightly less than themajor axis as the overall width of the shoulders 4, 4 of the stud. Toassemble the device with the panel, major axis of the stud 3 ispresented lengthwise of the aperture b so that it readily passestherethrough. The device is then rotated to position the shoulder 4 overthe panel adjacent the edges c, d so that the device is retained inassembly by the base 1 engaging one face of the panel and the shoulder 4the opposite face. During the rotation of the device the cam-shaped faceof the shoulder 4 will ride over the face of the panel and will serve todraw the base '1 against the adjacent face of the panel. It will beunderstood that in this position the channel shaped projection 2 will bepositioned as indicated in FIGURE 3 with the open face of the channeldirected upwardly for receiving a rod-like element of a shelf to besupported.

The cam surfaces on the shoulder may be so arranged that a rotation ofthe shelf support provides a full clamping engagement of the device withthe panel.

In order to prevent over-rotation of the shelf support either during itsinstallation or thereafter by forces acting on the shelf it issupporting, the neck portion 5 is alternately provided with arcuatedcorners 6 and square or flat corners providing stop portions 7. Thus, asbest shown in FIGURE 4, a 90 degree rotation of the shelf support in acounterclockwise direction forces the flattened stop portions 7 intoflush, abutting engagement with the end walls 0 and d (not shown)thereby preventing overtravel of the shelf support. This positioning ofthe stop portions 7 insures that the devices will always be rotated tothe point where maximum clamping engagement between the shoulders 4, thebase 1 and the support a is obtained.

The reader will appreciate that the function of the stop portion 7 inpositioning the shelf support for maximum clamping engagement takes onadded significance when the shelf support is installed in a supportwhich as available from one side only (this being the usual situation ina refrigerator installation) since the stops 7 will always definitelyfix the position in which maximum clamping engagement is obtained.

The devices are particularly adapted as shelf supports and in this casethe devices are adapted to be mounted in apertures in opposed walls of acabinet, such as a domestic refrigerator with the channel shaped membersfacing inwardly of the cabinet, a shelf being supported by the devicesby means of rod-like elements projecting from the opposite ends of theshelf nesting in the channel shaped members of the devices on theopposed Walls.

It will be understood that the device is not limited for use as a shelfsupport, but may be adapted to secure or support any article or memberon an apertured support.

What is claimed is:

A unitary device formed of a resilient synthetic plastic adapted to bedetachably mounted in an. aperture in a support to secure or support anarticle, the device comprising a base having a resilient stud projectingfrom one face for engagement in an aperture in the support, and meansextending from the opposite face of the base for engagement by anarticle to be secured or supported, the stud including a neck portion,having two long sides and two short sides, adjacent the base partlydefined by a shoulder formed with a cam shaped surface facing the base,said neck portion having opposed arcuate corners and having planarsurfaces intersecting at substantially sharp angles, the device beingsecurable to a support by inserting the stud into an aperture with thebase engaging one face of a support and the stud projecting from theopposite face and rotating the device to cause the cam 2,626,773 1/ 1953Backman 248-239 shaped surface to ride over portions of the saidopposite 2,657,894 11/1953 Sklenar 248239 face of a support adjacent anaperture to draw the base 2,826,388 3/1958 Janos et a1, 248239 intoclamping engagement with the first mentioned face 2,909,352 10/ 1959 VanBuren 248 -239 and each of said planar surfaces, formed on each of said5 2,940,558 6/ 1960 Schleuter 24-221 X short sides, engaging the wall ofan aperture. 3,078,064 2/ 1963 Turnbull 248239 References Cited by theExaminer FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATEMS 1,112,265 8/1961 Germany.

2,133,781 10/1938 Johnson 248239 10 2,571,641 10/1951 Wing 85--5 XCLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

